As NewsBusters reported Saturday, President Obama caused a bit of an international incident this weekend when he bowed before Japanese emperor Akihito.
Not surprisingly, his adoring fans in the media have done everything in their power to cover for this peculiar demonstration by the most powerful man in the world.
With this in mind, the College Republicans at the University of Connecticut have put together a marvelous video to demonstrate how world leaders across the globe have addressed the emperor recently without bowing (video embedded below the fold, h/t Andrew Malcolm):
Now THAT'S entertainment!





















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Thanks for giving me hope for tomorrow - proof there ARE
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 22:45 ET by Cape Conservativeyoung CONSERVATIVES ready to guide America forward through the rough waters ahead. Our founding fathers would be proud of you!
You did good, UConn Republicans!
Thanks for shaming OUR country once again, Mr. President!
This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise designated by Homeland Security as a Domestic Right Wing Terrorist! And now by our president as a 'swiftboater' - both titles I'll wear proudly!
It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams
202.224.3121 LET CONGRESS HEAR THE ROAR OF THE SILENT MAJORITY!
202.456.1111 WHITE HOUSE COMMENT LINE
Oh there are young
Thu, 11/19/2009 - 02:23 ET by lilsham138Oh there are young Conservatives, we're just hiding because we don't want to get persecuted before we can even get any ideas out. Sigh.
From an E-mail
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 22:49 ET by kilrodI found the following forward to me very interesting!
We were in slow-moving traffic the other day and the car in front of us had an Obama bumper sticker on it. It read: "Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".
My husband's Bible was lying on the dash board & he got it & opened it up to the scripture & read it. He started laughing & laughing. Then he read it to me. I couldn't believe what it said. I had a good laugh, too.
Psalm 109:8 "Let his days be few; and let another take office." **********************************************
"My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(grins) kilrod
If an unborn child cannot trust you, why should I,??
I like everything about your post!
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 10:50 ET by nolotrippenI like everything about your post!
“It is almost impossible to distinguish a politician from a gangster.” (Will Durant, 1931)
I predicted tea parties would return. Now I'm predicting dueling will return.
Worse and worser
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 22:56 ET by FarleyEach week and now nearly each day, I think it can't get any worse - and yet it does. And the question becomes, "Can we - the US - survive three more years of Obama without becoming a "demerging" nation?
Obama Bows Again In Shanghai
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 23:03 ET by newstalkmachineLooks like President Obama bowed again to an unknown official in Shanghai, video here, watch the 1 minute mark:
http://hotairpundit.blogspot.com/2009/11/obama-bows-again-this-time-after-his.html
i don't think it's a
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 23:28 ET by jkwtradingi don't think it's a bow...He's bending over some yes but the Jap is a real short guy. It's kind of hard to shake hands with a midget...um short guy...lol..
looks like something from a South Park episode
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 02:05 ET by surfergirl54The bow that was made is against Protocol etiquette. The LSM cannot cover up this action. The body language is very telling since that particular bow is one of subservience in Japanese culture. Was it deliberate? I think so. It is possible that he was doing it to apologize for the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A very stupid move.
That being said, I find my mind wandering to a particular South Park episode where the hypocrites of San Francisco used to bend over to smell their own odour and think that was just fine.... why am I reminded of that episode when I see that bow? Do you think the Obot let one rip?
Looks like a clumsy bow to me
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 08:38 ET by Dim BulbFirst, the guy was probably not Japanese, since the President was in Shanghai.
The guy made a slight bow to Obama who returned it. You might be able to mark it down as a reflex action in response to the other man, however, Obama bows repeatedly. Some may try to excuse it, as they did the bow to the Emporer, as something done to make a handshake easier, but Obama bows only after having already taken the man's hand. And the man in China is not much smaller than the President.
As I noted in another combox I don't have a problem with a President bowing if such a bow is the cultural equivalent of a handshake-something the average Joe's in a country do when greeting one another. The Japanese slight bow called eshaku is such an act, and had Obama offered that bow I would not have been disturbed, but Obama's bow went far beyond that. His deep bow with face directed towards the ground was a sign of apology. One can only hope it was accidental rather than deliberate, but this President doesn't inspire confidence.
Dim Wit, maybe you should
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 09:18 ET by marvlDim Wit, maybe you should watch the video. We have a clueless maroon for a president.
What?
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 14:40 ET by Dim BulbThank you for your mature and clever response. What exactly did I write that you took umbrage with?
Bow was a Ruse
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 23:09 ET by xraynovaThe exaggerated obambow to the Japanese PM was probably a ruse.
The obambow in Japan was cover, for the earlier, truly well-intended and sincere bow before the Saudi king.
This closet muslim president felt the need to dilute the intensity of national response to the islamist bow, by showing that he can obambow other (male) leaders as well.
obama's closet muslim status rears its ugly head once again- just as he did with the 57-state remark( thinking of the OIC instead of the USA) and in relation to his intense anti-Israel stand, and his designation of the koran as a 'holy' book.
disrespectful gesture
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 02:06 ET by konoA gesture that exaggerated usually means exactly the opposite of what the gesture -- properly made -- would mean. Obie's proclivity to prostrate himself before others shows a staggering condescension. (I half-imagine his mental narrative is saying, "look at me, I'm the humblest leader ever"......)
Just another work day for our narcissist-in-chief.
My thoughts, too. He had to do something to hide the fact
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 22:17 ET by Cape Conservativethat he was worshipping the Saudi prince!
Superb
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 23:29 ET by Jack Hermanpiece of work!
That's Obama?
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 23:59 ET by JPR1It looks like Emperor Akihito giving his chaufuer his Christmas bonus.
bonus
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 02:07 ET by konobwahahahaha!
Give Obowma a break for once
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 00:18 ET by xcor057He wasn't bowing to the Japanese emperor. The Chineese premier is standing behind him outside the frame.
Has it been mentioned here at NewsBusters yet?
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 00:26 ET by JWFSetting aside the the argument our President should not bow to royalty and PBO did it anyway.
He did it wrong.
You either bow or shake hands. You don't do both.
So not only was he not supposed to bow, he mucked it up when he did. Worst President Evah!
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
I will at least agree the
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 00:35 ET by JerI will at least agree the White House should fire whoever is currently in charge of protocol, and Obama should devote an entire weekend for intensive reorientation.
Jer
Weekend? 3 years and a
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 00:41 ET by JoeBobWeekend? 3 years and a couple of months would suit me better. I betcha he'd have his curtsy in fine form by then.
Without recognizing the ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man. - Confucious
I think he would be a quick
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 00:52 ET by JerI think he would be a quick learner if he really focused.
Jer
Jer, even I give you more
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 02:17 ET by Dan The Man 2Jer, even I give you more credit. Next time put the sarc tags up. Duh Vain One hires his own people and listens to no one else; that is why he makes these bonehead moves.
Obama's "tell"
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 06:25 ET by motherbeltBill Whittle of PJTV opined that that is a "tell" for Obama, as in poker. The need to acknowledge royalty is subconscious and reflexive.
Hmmm...
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 07:28 ET by CCsteelcityFor someone who looks down their nose at his own country, he sure does have a way of kissing every other country's asses!!!
"The bottom line is that the idea that government bureaucrats have enough knowledge to manage an economy well is the height of conceit." - Friedrich Hayek
Look where his eyes are focused
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 07:52 ET by richb313Look where Obama's eyes are foucused when he bows. He is looking at the Japanese Emperor's feet. This is a sign of subservience. A proper bow would have your eyes focused on the eyes of the one you bow to. I do not think a bow was proper but if you are going to do it learn how to do it properly.
Since Obama has declared himself to be such a International type he has only shown his ignorance time and time again. If he was not ignorant of proper protocol then he DELIBERATLY bowed in a way to put the UNITED STATES in subservience to the Japanese Emperor. So which is it Ignorance or Subservience, these are the only two choices.
He reminds me of an eager
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 08:11 ET by GrannyGrump42He reminds me of an eager little kid who wants to impress the grown-ups with his sophisticated "knowledge" of other cultures. "They bow over there, right?"
I bet after he bowed to the Emperor he presented a fine gift of a DVD of "Godzilla".
Barack Obama - The Audacity
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 08:24 ET by MassConservativeBarack Obama - The Audacity of Dope
If the RNC would just run
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 09:48 ET by Ruths husband BenIf the RNC would just run this as an ad on national TV with no explanation it would be very effective.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho
Obama's Bow
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 10:19 ET by timrfrench61When I first saw "the bow" it brought me to tears as what a clueless mistake by O's handlers this was. The connecticut republicans did the research that the admin could not: no head of state in Asia bows to the emperor of Japan so our president should in no way bow. Any excuse is an "isn't it cute how ignorant he is" and that is the handler's mistake (someone should be fired).
Obama is our first Asian president (18 years of his life in Hawaii and Indonesia in the household of a cultural anthropologist) with a supposedly multi-national pedegree. As an urbane, arugola eating sophisticate, he's supposed to know these things.
Now during the O'Reily interview O' showed himself to be physically jerky and poorly controlled in public situations (he bent over at the waste and blocked the whole frame of the camera to reach over and touch O'reilly on the knee or arm to try to reverse some negative question O'reilly asked) and his handlers should have been aware of this and have schooled him to reverse this body-language tic.
If I were him I would check my organization because I see him making this big of a mistake as being undermined by someone in protocol who has given up on him.
Hey, I know someone you
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 10:35 ET by criticalthinkingHey, I know someone you can't put on this list: Richard Nixon. He bowed to the father of this guy, who you may recall, led a sneak attack against Pearl Habor.
Thank the heavenly father for Obama
Nixon/Obama Bows Not Equivalent
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 15:38 ET by Dim BulbI hate beating a dead horse (I've commented on this several times) but the Nixon bow was different than the one offered by Obama. Nixon perfomred the eshaku bow, a typical form of greeting among the Japanese, the equivalent to a handshake here in the U.S. Obama offered the saikeirei bow, something that is done as an offer of apology.
Karate Kid Flashback
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 10:39 ET by BuffNBoneWith a change of actors this could be a replay of a classic scene from the Karate Kid.
Danny (PBO) bows in a subservient manner.
Mr Miyagai (Emperor) delivers a whack to his student's head and motions to his eyes to pay attention because what he is about to say is important.
PBO bows again.
Emperor whacks him again and says, "Your country's a good thing going on in the world--don't screw it up."
"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"
Loved the music
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 10:52 ET by nolotrippenAnyone know where the music comes from (and don't tell me the tiny speakers on the iMac)?
“It is almost impossible to distinguish a politician from a gangster.” (Will Durant, 1931)
I predicted tea parties would return. Now I'm predicting dueling will return.
Does anyone remember those
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 11:58 ET by jistincaseDoes anyone remember those little birds that would bob down and put their beak in the water and then go back up? He reminds me of one of those and instead of water in the glass it is full of money and when he needs some he starts bowing and scraping to them showing deference to them and giving the U.S. the moon. What a total disgrace this man is to the United States and for that the world.
Bowing Bamster
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 12:22 ET by slickwillie2001I hope someone in China is working on these and will have them in time for Christmas. Should be bigger than the ObaMao stuff.
Or Chia Obama
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 12:35 ET by BlondeChia Obama
I hope he fails, too.